LGBTQQI Affirmative

My practice is affirming of all sexual orientations and gender identities, even including those that don’t identify yet and may be questioning, or curious. The acronym LGBTQQI refers to both sexual orientation and gender identities: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning or Intersex.

Although not everyone fits perfectly into a cookie cutter shape, and you shouldn’t expect that you will too, many people often feel ashamed of not fitting into expected gender or identity roles and stereotypes. In fact this issue of not “fitting in” is much bigger than most people realize and it has been a major source of trauma experienced by many people all over the world.

Some individuals "choose not to choose" when it comes to gender or sexual identity, and feel as though the language that we have available does not best describe how they feel about themselves, and this is normal too. Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) refers to an individual who does not identify as either Male or Female, and therefore feels more comfortable with the label of Gender non-conforming, possibly Gender Fluid (GF), or Gender Queer (GQ). Medically this is referred to as Gender Dysphoria. If you are in need of support or help with a required letter for medical treatment we can help.

Here are some helpful terms defined:

Lesbian- A woman who is sexually attracted to other women.

Gay- A man who is sexually attracted to other men.

Bisexual- Sexually attracted to both men and women.

Transgender: someone whose gender identity does not match their anatomical sex at birth.

Queer: (sometimes Questioning)

Intersex: an individual who is born with external/internal genitalia and/or secondary sex characteristics determined as neither exclusively male nor female.

Ally: someone who doesn’t identify as, but supports LGBTQQI.

Gender Dysphoria

Gender Dysphoria is a term used to describe the condition of feeling that one's emotional and psychological identity as male or female is not the same as their biological sex. Some individuals identify as Transgender which means that one's sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with one's birth sex. Some individuals "choose not to choose" when it comes to gender or sexual identity, and feel as though the language that we have available does not best describe how they feel about themselves, and this is normal too. Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) refers to an individual who does not identify as either Male or Female, and therefore feels more comfortable with the label of Gender non-conforming, or Gender Fluid (GF), or Gender Queer (GQ).

If you are in need of support or help with a required letter for medical treatment we can help.

Helpful Terms:

Pre-op: A transgender person who has not had surgery to alter his or her body, although he or she may want to.

T: Shorthand for the hormone testosterone, which is taken by some individuals who want to masculinize their appearance.

Gender confirmation surgery:Sometimes mistakenly called a "sex change operation," and more recently "sex reassignment surgery," this involves physically changing one's sex through surgery. It is often accompanied by hormone treatments.

Genderqueer: Genderqueer refers to people who do not adhere to strictly male or female identities and roles. A genderqueer person often chooses to present as neither clearly male nor clearly female, but rather as a gender-free individual whose identity may shift and change over time.

Gender identity: A person's inner emotional and psychological inclination as being male or female.

Gender expression: The gender an individual displays to the world and to those around him through things like dress, hairstyle or mannerisms.

Sexual orientation: This term addresses whether an individual is sexually attracted to men, women or both. It's not the same as gender identity, which focuses on the gender a person identifies with.

Depression

Under Construction

Stress and Anxiety

Under Construction

ADD and ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. ADHD includes the symptom of physical hyperactivity or excessive restlessness–that's the “H”. In ADD (what is called in the diagnostic manual, ADHD, inattentive subtype), the symptom of hyperactivity is absent. Indeed, people with ADD can be calm and serene, not in the least hyperactive or disruptive.

Children and adults with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. However, some people never completely outgrow their ADHD symptoms. But they can learn strategies to be successful.

While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications, education or training, and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome.

Personality Disorders

Under Construction

Bipolar Disorder

It is natural to experience ups and downs in life, including significant changes of mood within the same day. However, people living with bipolar disorder experience extreme highs and lows as well as mood changes that disrupt their lives. The extreme highs, known as mania, are followed by extreme lows, or depressions, which make it difficult to work, maintain relationships and otherwise enjoy life.

Bipolar disorder does not have to be debilitating. With the right treatment, people can overcome the disorder and regain control over their life.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder causes disruptive shifts in the mood and energy that can occur over a few days, weeks or months. The fifth edition of “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” lists five different types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I disorder: manic or mixed episodes that last for more than seven days, or severe manic symptoms requiring hospitalization. Depressive episodes that last at least two weeks might also occur

Bipolar II disorder: Lengthy depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes that do not become full-blown manic episodes or mixed episodes. Bipolar II is typically less disruptive than Bipolar I disorder

Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BP-NOS): Bipolar symptoms exist in a person and are clearly not within the normal range of behavior for that individual, but they do not meet any of the diagnostic criteria for the above bipolar disorders

Cyclotheymic disorder or cyclothymia: A milder form of bipolar disorder where a person will experience hypomania and mild depression for more than two years but they do not fulfill the above diagnostic criteria

Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: a person experiences four or more episodes within one year

Eating Disorder

Under Construction

Insomnia

Under Construction

Relationship Problems

Under Construction

Sexual and Intimacy Problems

Under Construction

Emotional and Sexual Abuse

Under Construction

Trauma, Grief, and Loss

Under Construction

Addiction and Substance Abuse

Addiction: is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around them. The difference between addiction and abuse is that in addiction the individual will experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be very unpleasant and range depending on the substance that is being used, this is why substance use can often accelerate as the individual attempts to get rid of unwanted withdrawal symptoms. Here's an example of the range of withdrawal symptoms a person can experience: anxiety, depression, shakes, panic attacks, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, loss of appetite. You can really get the sense from this list that the breadth of different withdrawal symptoms a person can have can vary widely.

Sex Addiction: Currently sex addiction is categorized as an impulse control disorder and a sexual disorder, but the range of symptoms that are experienced by the individual are very much the same as those seen in substance dependence and abuse, and therefore the treatment of sex addiction is very similar to the treatment of substances.

A wide range of behaviors can be symptoms of sex addiction, including:

LGBTQQI Affirmative

My practice is affirming of all sexual orientations and gender identities, even including those that don’t identify yet and may be questioning, or curious. The acronym LGBTQQI refers to both sexual orientation and gender identities: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning or Intersex.

Although not everyone fits perfectly into a cookie cutter shape, and you shouldn’t expect that you will too, many people often feel ashamed of not fitting into expected gender or identity roles and stereotypes. In fact this issue of not “fitting in” is much bigger than most people realize and it has been a major source of trauma experienced by many people all over the world.

Some individuals "choose not to choose" when it comes to gender or sexual identity, and feel as though the language that we have available does not best describe how they feel about themselves, and this is normal too. Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) refers to an individual who does not identify as either Male or Female, and therefore feels more comfortable with the label of Gender non-conforming, possibly Gender Fluid (GF), or Gender Queer (GQ). Medically this is referred to as Gender Dysphoria. If you are in need of support or help with a required letter for medical treatment we can help.

Here are some helpful terms defined:

Lesbian- A woman who is sexually attracted to other women.

Gay- A man who is sexually attracted to other men.

Bisexual- Sexually attracted to both men and women.

Transgender: someone whose gender identity does not match their anatomical sex at birth.

Queer: (sometimes Questioning)

Intersex: an individual who is born with external/internal genitalia and/or secondary sex characteristics determined as neither exclusively male nor female.

Ally: someone who doesn’t identify as, but supports LGBTQQI.

Gender Dysphoria

Gender Dysphoria is a term used to describe the condition of feeling that one's emotional and psychological identity as male or female is not the same as their biological sex. Some individuals identify as Transgender which means that one's sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with one's birth sex. Some individuals "choose not to choose" when it comes to gender or sexual identity, and feel as though the language that we have available does not best describe how they feel about themselves, and this is normal too. Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) refers to an individual who does not identify as either Male or Female, and therefore feels more comfortable with the label of Gender non-conforming, or Gender Fluid (GF), or Gender Queer (GQ).

If you are in need of support or help with a required letter for medical treatment we can help.

Helpful Terms:

Pre-op: A transgender person who has not had surgery to alter his or her body, although he or she may want to.

T: Shorthand for the hormone testosterone, which is taken by some individuals who want to masculinize their appearance.

Gender confirmation surgery:Sometimes mistakenly called a "sex change operation," and more recently "sex reassignment surgery," this involves physically changing one's sex through surgery. It is often accompanied by hormone treatments.

Genderqueer: Genderqueer refers to people who do not adhere to strictly male or female identities and roles. A genderqueer person often chooses to present as neither clearly male nor clearly female, but rather as a gender-free individual whose identity may shift and change over time.

Gender identity: A person's inner emotional and psychological inclination as being male or female.

Gender expression: The gender an individual displays to the world and to those around him through things like dress, hairstyle or mannerisms.

Sexual orientation: This term addresses whether an individual is sexually attracted to men, women or both. It's not the same as gender identity, which focuses on the gender a person identifies with.

Depression

Under Construction

Stress and Anxiety

Under Construction

ADD and ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. ADHD includes the symptom of physical hyperactivity or excessive restlessness–that's the “H”. In ADD (what is called in the diagnostic manual, ADHD, inattentive subtype), the symptom of hyperactivity is absent. Indeed, people with ADD can be calm and serene, not in the least hyperactive or disruptive.

Children and adults with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. However, some people never completely outgrow their ADHD symptoms. But they can learn strategies to be successful.

While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications, education or training, and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome.

Personality Disorders

Under Construction

Bipolar Disorder

It is natural to experience ups and downs in life, including significant changes of mood within the same day. However, people living with bipolar disorder experience extreme highs and lows as well as mood changes that disrupt their lives. The extreme highs, known as mania, are followed by extreme lows, or depressions, which make it difficult to work, maintain relationships and otherwise enjoy life.

Bipolar disorder does not have to be debilitating. With the right treatment, people can overcome the disorder and regain control over their life.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder causes disruptive shifts in the mood and energy that can occur over a few days, weeks or months. The fifth edition of “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” lists five different types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I disorder: manic or mixed episodes that last for more than seven days, or severe manic symptoms requiring hospitalization. Depressive episodes that last at least two weeks might also occur

Bipolar II disorder: Lengthy depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes that do not become full-blown manic episodes or mixed episodes. Bipolar II is typically less disruptive than Bipolar I disorder

Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BP-NOS): Bipolar symptoms exist in a person and are clearly not within the normal range of behavior for that individual, but they do not meet any of the diagnostic criteria for the above bipolar disorders

Cyclotheymic disorder or cyclothymia: A milder form of bipolar disorder where a person will experience hypomania and mild depression for more than two years but they do not fulfill the above diagnostic criteria

Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: a person experiences four or more episodes within one year

Eating Disorder

Under Construction

Insomnia

Under Construction

Relationship Problems

Under Construction

Sexual and Intimacy Problems

Under Construction

Emotional and Sexual Abuse

Under Construction

Trauma, Grief, and Loss

Under Construction

Addiction and Substance Abuse

Addiction: is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around them. The difference between addiction and abuse is that in addiction the individual will experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be very unpleasant and range depending on the substance that is being used, this is why substance use can often accelerate as the individual attempts to get rid of unwanted withdrawal symptoms. Here's an example of the range of withdrawal symptoms a person can experience: anxiety, depression, shakes, panic attacks, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, loss of appetite. You can really get the sense from this list that the breadth of different withdrawal symptoms a person can have can vary widely.

Sex Addiction: Currently sex addiction is categorized as an impulse control disorder and a sexual disorder, but the range of symptoms that are experienced by the individual are very much the same as those seen in substance dependence and abuse, and therefore the treatment of sex addiction is very similar to the treatment of substances.

A wide range of behaviors can be symptoms of sex addiction, including:

Gender Dysphoria

Gender Dysphoria is a term used to describe the condition of feeling that one's emotional and psychological identity as male or female is not the same as their biological sex. Some individuals identify as Transgender which means that one's sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with one's birth sex. Some individuals "choose not to choose" when it comes to gender or sexual identity, and feel as though the language that we have available does not best describe how they feel about themselves, and this is normal too. Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) refers to an individual who does not identify as either Male or Female, and therefore feels more comfortable with the label of Gender non-conforming, or Gender Fluid (GF), or Gender Queer (GQ).

If you are in need of support or help with a required letter for medical treatment we can help.

Helpful Terms:

Pre-op: A transgender person who has not had surgery to alter his or her body, although he or she may want to.

T: Shorthand for the hormone testosterone, which is taken by some individuals who want to masculinize their appearance.

Gender confirmation surgery:Sometimes mistakenly called a "sex change operation," and more recently "sex reassignment surgery," this involves physically changing one's sex through surgery. It is often accompanied by hormone treatments.

Genderqueer: Genderqueer refers to people who do not adhere to strictly male or female identities and roles. A genderqueer person often chooses to present as neither clearly male nor clearly female, but rather as a gender-free individual whose identity may shift and change over time.

Gender identity: A person's inner emotional and psychological inclination as being male or female.

Gender expression: The gender an individual displays to the world and to those around him through things like dress, hairstyle or mannerisms.

Sexual orientation: This term addresses whether an individual is sexually attracted to men, women or both. It's not the same as gender identity, which focuses on the gender a person identifies with.

Depression

Under Construction

Stress and Anxiety

Under Construction

ADD and ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. ADHD includes the symptom of physical hyperactivity or excessive restlessness–that's the “H”. In ADD (what is called in the diagnostic manual, ADHD, inattentive subtype), the symptom of hyperactivity is absent. Indeed, people with ADD can be calm and serene, not in the least hyperactive or disruptive.

Children and adults with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. However, some people never completely outgrow their ADHD symptoms. But they can learn strategies to be successful.

While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications, education or training, and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome.

Personality Disorders

Under Construction

Bipolar Disorder

It is natural to experience ups and downs in life, including significant changes of mood within the same day. However, people living with bipolar disorder experience extreme highs and lows as well as mood changes that disrupt their lives. The extreme highs, known as mania, are followed by extreme lows, or depressions, which make it difficult to work, maintain relationships and otherwise enjoy life.

Bipolar disorder does not have to be debilitating. With the right treatment, people can overcome the disorder and regain control over their life.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder causes disruptive shifts in the mood and energy that can occur over a few days, weeks or months. The fifth edition of “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” lists five different types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I disorder: manic or mixed episodes that last for more than seven days, or severe manic symptoms requiring hospitalization. Depressive episodes that last at least two weeks might also occur

Bipolar II disorder: Lengthy depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes that do not become full-blown manic episodes or mixed episodes. Bipolar II is typically less disruptive than Bipolar I disorder

Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BP-NOS): Bipolar symptoms exist in a person and are clearly not within the normal range of behavior for that individual, but they do not meet any of the diagnostic criteria for the above bipolar disorders

Cyclotheymic disorder or cyclothymia: A milder form of bipolar disorder where a person will experience hypomania and mild depression for more than two years but they do not fulfill the above diagnostic criteria

Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: a person experiences four or more episodes within one year

Eating Disorder

Under Construction

Insomnia

Under Construction

Relationship Problems

Under Construction

Sexual and Intimacy Problems

Under Construction

Emotional and Sexual Abuse

Under Construction

Trauma, Grief, and Loss

Under Construction

Addiction and Substance Abuse

Addiction: is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around them. The difference between addiction and abuse is that in addiction the individual will experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be very unpleasant and range depending on the substance that is being used, this is why substance use can often accelerate as the individual attempts to get rid of unwanted withdrawal symptoms. Here's an example of the range of withdrawal symptoms a person can experience: anxiety, depression, shakes, panic attacks, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, loss of appetite. You can really get the sense from this list that the breadth of different withdrawal symptoms a person can have can vary widely.

Sex Addiction: Currently sex addiction is categorized as an impulse control disorder and a sexual disorder, but the range of symptoms that are experienced by the individual are very much the same as those seen in substance dependence and abuse, and therefore the treatment of sex addiction is very similar to the treatment of substances.

A wide range of behaviors can be symptoms of sex addiction, including:

Gender Dysphoria

Gender Dysphoria is a term used to describe the condition of feeling that one's emotional and psychological identity as male or female is not the same as their biological sex. Some individuals identify as Transgender which means that one's sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with one's birth sex. Some individuals "choose not to choose" when it comes to gender or sexual identity, and feel as though the language that we have available does not best describe how they feel about themselves, and this is normal too. Gender Non-Conforming (GNC) refers to an individual who does not identify as either Male or Female, and therefore feels more comfortable with the label of Gender non-conforming, or Gender Fluid (GF), or Gender Queer (GQ).

If you are in need of support or help with a required letter for medical treatment we can help.

Helpful Terms:

Pre-op: A transgender person who has not had surgery to alter his or her body, although he or she may want to.

T: Shorthand for the hormone testosterone, which is taken by some individuals who want to masculinize their appearance.

Gender confirmation surgery:Sometimes mistakenly called a "sex change operation," and more recently "sex reassignment surgery," this involves physically changing one's sex through surgery. It is often accompanied by hormone treatments.

Genderqueer: Genderqueer refers to people who do not adhere to strictly male or female identities and roles. A genderqueer person often chooses to present as neither clearly male nor clearly female, but rather as a gender-free individual whose identity may shift and change over time.

Gender identity: A person's inner emotional and psychological inclination as being male or female.

Gender expression: The gender an individual displays to the world and to those around him through things like dress, hairstyle or mannerisms.

Sexual orientation: This term addresses whether an individual is sexually attracted to men, women or both. It's not the same as gender identity, which focuses on the gender a person identifies with.

Depression

Under Construction

Stress and Anxiety

Under Construction

ADD and ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior. ADHD includes the symptom of physical hyperactivity or excessive restlessness–that's the “H”. In ADD (what is called in the diagnostic manual, ADHD, inattentive subtype), the symptom of hyperactivity is absent. Indeed, people with ADD can be calm and serene, not in the least hyperactive or disruptive.

Children and adults with ADHD also may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships and poor performance in school. Symptoms sometimes lessen with age. However, some people never completely outgrow their ADHD symptoms. But they can learn strategies to be successful.

While treatment won't cure ADHD, it can help a great deal with symptoms. Treatment typically involves medications, education or training, and behavioral interventions. Early diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference in outcome.

Personality Disorders

Under Construction

Bipolar Disorder

It is natural to experience ups and downs in life, including significant changes of mood within the same day. However, people living with bipolar disorder experience extreme highs and lows as well as mood changes that disrupt their lives. The extreme highs, known as mania, are followed by extreme lows, or depressions, which make it difficult to work, maintain relationships and otherwise enjoy life.

Bipolar disorder does not have to be debilitating. With the right treatment, people can overcome the disorder and regain control over their life.

What is Bipolar Disorder?

Bipolar disorder causes disruptive shifts in the mood and energy that can occur over a few days, weeks or months. The fifth edition of “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” lists five different types of bipolar disorder:

Bipolar I disorder: manic or mixed episodes that last for more than seven days, or severe manic symptoms requiring hospitalization. Depressive episodes that last at least two weeks might also occur

Bipolar II disorder: Lengthy depressive episodes with hypomanic episodes that do not become full-blown manic episodes or mixed episodes. Bipolar II is typically less disruptive than Bipolar I disorder

Bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (BP-NOS): Bipolar symptoms exist in a person and are clearly not within the normal range of behavior for that individual, but they do not meet any of the diagnostic criteria for the above bipolar disorders

Cyclotheymic disorder or cyclothymia: A milder form of bipolar disorder where a person will experience hypomania and mild depression for more than two years but they do not fulfill the above diagnostic criteria

Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: a person experiences four or more episodes within one year

Eating Disorder

Under Construction

Insomnia

Under Construction

Relationship Problems

Under Construction

Sexual and Intimacy Problems

Under Construction

Emotional and Sexual Abuse

Under Construction

Trauma, Grief, and Loss

Under Construction

Addiction and Substance Abuse

Addiction: is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the addicted individual and to those around them. The difference between addiction and abuse is that in addiction the individual will experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be very unpleasant and range depending on the substance that is being used, this is why substance use can often accelerate as the individual attempts to get rid of unwanted withdrawal symptoms. Here's an example of the range of withdrawal symptoms a person can experience: anxiety, depression, shakes, panic attacks, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, loss of appetite. You can really get the sense from this list that the breadth of different withdrawal symptoms a person can have can vary widely.

Sex Addiction: Currently sex addiction is categorized as an impulse control disorder and a sexual disorder, but the range of symptoms that are experienced by the individual are very much the same as those seen in substance dependence and abuse, and therefore the treatment of sex addiction is very similar to the treatment of substances.

A wide range of behaviors can be symptoms of sex addiction, including: